Over the course of the Madison family's time at Montpelier there were over 300 enslaved individuals who lived on the property. Men, women, and children worked tirelessly to keep the Madison plantation up and running such that James and Dolley could carry out their business. We pay homage to those in the enslaved community through our ongoing slavery interpretation, and our new groundbreaking exhibition, The Mere Distinction of Colour. We're thankful to our active descendant community for helping us tell a more complete American story and sharing their familial histories with us.

A memorial to James Madison and the Enslaved Community, a museum of American history, and a center for constitutional
education that engages the public with the enduring legacy of Madison's most powerful idea:
government by the people.